The Suns won both of the first two games of the season, but fans and the local media in Phoenix didn't look particularly satisfied, and there were still those who thought the Suns had lost their previous style.

"It's not as good as it gets."

This is what many people say about the current Suns, whether it is against the SuperSonics or the Lakers, the Suns used to be as fast as a whirlwind, and most of the exquisite coordination through the Nash series has disappeared.

Instead, there were some simple one-on-one blocks that made the audience feel a little bored, one-on-one eating after pulling away, the offense slowed down noticeably, and most importantly, Nash didn't seem to be able to pass those exquisite passes.

And it's not a question of Nash's ability, it's a question of coaching tactics.

After the game against the Lakers, the Suns immediately followed the training day, Nash was asked by reporters this question: "Why did the Suns' previous seven-second offense disappear, why did your butterfly-like tandems and assists become less, what is the reason?" ”

It's the NBA's regular training day, and players have to be interviewed, and a lot of the time players like to talk about the scenes, and the bureaucracy of the sports journalists who can squeeze a bunch of insights out of every sentence, after all, they fill the pages and feed their families.

But this time Nash thought about it seriously, and he looked back at the training ground - in fact, Leon did not participate in training today, and the training was handled by D'Antoni and the assistant coaching staff, and Leon really looked a little free of himself.

"I think there's an important change going through within the team, like when I first arrived at Phoenix in 2005. We've done a lot of work in the last three years and we're always one step away from success, so we have to make a change, I don't know if it's good or bad, but at least now we're winning, and that's what we're aiming for. I think you should understand what I mean. ”

Nash expressed his opinion, there is no doubt that he is supporting Leon, of course, not only because of the victory, but also very importantly, Nash feels that he is playing more easily on the court, he is 33 years old this year, and he is almost 34 years old, but he feels that he is surprisingly good.

Stoudemire felt the same way, and in the second game, especially in the second, he really felt like he was being the tactical heart of the team. Although he has a good relationship with Nash, various remarks from the outside world about "leaving Nash Stoudemire is nothing" and "Stoudemire can only dunk" still haunt him.

He has a hunch that this year will be very different.

Of course, there is also a big difference in that the Suns players find it difficult for them to find their coaches, and Leon has not been in front of the players from the end of last night's game until the end of practice at noon the next day.

D'Antoni had to be in charge like last season, so much so that he muttered to himself, 'Why the hell should I stay as an assistant coach, what's the difference between that and last year?'

Leon wasn't going to play, of course, or to get busy with his financial funds, he was busy with the next card in his hand.

This morning, Leon and Steve Kerr flew together to Dallas, where they were going to meet with a free agent, Grant Hill.

"If it weren't for you, Hill would have been on the team back in July."

"How can I be blamed for this? You recruited me to the team, and you didn't tell me that Grant Hill wouldn't want to come to Phoenix because of me. If you tell that, then I can consider stepping down as head coach of the Suns right now. ”

"I'm just kidding Fox, how could I take you to Dallas if you had to resign."

"I'm kidding, too, if I resign now, Nash will shoot you with one shot, and then the Phoenix fans will give you another shot."

“Fu-ck-you！”

On the plane, Kerr was arguing with Leon, and after becoming a commentator and then a team manager, Kerr was good at talking, but Fox Leon was the same, and in the end Kerr had to express his dissatisfaction with a swear word.

Shortly around noon, the two got off the plane, arrived at the Dallas airport, and then got in the car and went to the home of Grant Hill in Dallas.

This is not the first time Leon has visited his home to recruit a player or coach, whether in Boston or Phoenix, no matter how cold and harsh on the court, he will always put down his body to find the right person for the team when needed.

But the difference this time is that it was learned from Steve Kerr that Grant Hill was reluctant to join the Suns as a free agent because he knew he was going to be the head coach of the Suns — similarly, he turned down offers from other teams, has been at home since last June, and may even consider retiring this year.

This former proud son of heaven has gained a lot on the court, but he has also lost a lot, especially his health, and the battlefield of basketball has left him scarred.

He just ended his contract with the Orlando Magic this summer, and he was full of expectations to sign his magic with a big contract, but only to gain a broken warrior body and broken heart, Hill tried his best, but there was no way to overcome injuries and fate.

He's thirty-five years old, and many players have long since disappeared from the NBA at this age, and although he hasn't disappeared in the past few years, it's not much different from disappearing.

When Leon led the Boston Celtics to sweep the East, he barely encountered Hill when he was on the floor when he met the Orlando Magic, so it was even more difficult for Leon to understand why he would be an obstacle for Hill to sign with the Suns.

"Because of the way you've coached in the past, your ultimate defense, and your temper, your fists, and a lot of your stuff, he's worried about whether he'll be able to live another year at Phoenix."

In the car, Kerr explained to Leon again and again that it is true that Leon is not popular among NBA players, and he is by no means the kind of "coach of players". Because of his origins, he is not an NBA player, he has not even played professionally, and he is not even a basketball player!

What's more, he used to work in Boston, and was a disciple of Auerbach, and throughout the NBA, the coaches of the Boston faction were like the Sicilian mafia of the civilized world, coming from a remote and backward path, using their old-fashioned and stubborn rules, and gnawing at their own territory out of place - no one would go out, and no one would want to come in.

So in terms of player appeal, Leon has his own aura of destruction, he is negative, and the fact is that after he joined the Suns, in addition to trading, plus clever grabbing, basically did not say which free agent with a little strength wanted to join.

This time, Leon didn't argue with Cole, he knew his shortcomings, that is, he didn't belong to this circle in the first place, he used to be a prisoner, a gambler, and finally broke into this world for some inexplicable reasons, and made a big fuss like Monkey King in this world, winning what many people can't get in their lifetime, but still can't get some due respect.

This is the NBA, an inbred, yet glamorous circle.

Thankfully, Phoenix is an open city, and Nash is an absolutely nice guy.

"I said Steve, don't blame me for being rude if Grant doesn't show enough respect for me in front of me." Before arriving at his destination, Leon warned Kerr that he wanted to tell Kerr that he had gone to see Hill to resolve some misunderstandings, not to grovel and beg him to come to the Suns to play.

As head coach, Leon does want Hill to come to the Suns, they need an experienced and defensive home on the wing, Dudley is too young, and Barry is a bit out of step defensively, so if Hill can stay healthy, it is definitely a good choice.

Cole understood what Leon meant and nodded: "I know, Grant is not the kind of person who is rude, he just has some doubts, and we need to let him let go of those doubts." ”

"It's better to be so, I've got a game tomorrow and I don't know how those guys are training."